Brad Gray is the Teaching Pastor at Central Wesleyan Church in Holland, Michigan. He has traveled extensively to the biblical lands of Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, and Greece, and currently leads biblical study trips to Israel and Turkey. Brad and his wife, Shallon, live with their four children in Holland, Michigan.
This fall, I’ve invited a few friends to share what God is teaching them. I hope their words are an encouragement to you as you continue to awaken to the joy and delight that comes with being a child of God.
On September 25, my wife gave birth to a little boy–Xyler Josiah. He’s the fourth child in the Gray clan, and as with our other three, our hearts soared the moment we laid eyes on him. It still amazes me that something at 6 lbs., 3 oz. and 20 inches in length can have such a life-altering impact on you. But it does, and I’m immensely grateful for that.
For the last three weeks, I’ve been holding this little, vulnerable, dependent, precious miracle, wondering about his life. What kind of personality is he going to develop? What’s he going to do with his life? How will he impact the Kingdom with the gifts God has already instilled within him? And what effect will I have on his life?
It’s this last question that’s the most sobering.
For the last several years, I’ve been studying the life of Samson, and I’ve been riveted by how this three thousand year old story has been impacting mine. Samson lived in the precarious time of the Judges–a dark period in Israel’s history, recorded in the book of Judges. Arguably some of the ugliest, bloodiest, most depraved chapters of the entire Bible are the last five chapters of Judges, immediately following Samson’s death. In this section we encounter a story encompassing attempted gang rape as well as the murder of a woman who was gang raped to death over a period of several hours. Following this unspeakable horror, the husband of the murdered woman cuts her body into twelve pieces and sends them throughout the land. Subsequently a civil war breaks out, and thirty five thousand Israelites are ruthlessly slaughtered at the hands of their own brothers. The massacre leaves the tribe of Benjamin nearly wiped out. To remedy the situation, young Israelite girls are kidnapped from other towns to repopulate the Benjamin tribe.
It’s ugly, broken, enraging, and perplexing. It makes you wonder what would motivate these people to engage in such grotesque and destructive kinds of behavior. The answer, according to the text, is found in this statement: “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (see Judges 17:6; 21:25, English Standard Version). This is how these final chapters of Judges begin and end in the literal Hebrew.
Here’s what’s telling: Prior to the Samson narrative, there isn’t a single reference to anyone in the book of Judges (or in the Bible) doing what was right in their own eyes.
Not one! And yet the moment we encounter the grown Samson, we’re introduced to a man who does what is right in his own eyes (see Judges 14:3, 7, English Standard Version), and spends the remainder of his life doing what was right in his own eyes, subsequently setting a precedent that others followed.
This is what the writer wants us to see.
The effects of Samson’s decisions were devastating, not only to his life, but to the lives of those around him, and to those who followed after him.
Samson led an entire generation astray because of the choices he made. And I’m willing to bet he didn’t have a clue as to the effects his decisions would have on others. But then neither do we.
It’s easy to get caught up in the notion that our choices don’t affect others.
We fall prey to believing we can do what we want and it won’t impact others. But it does. We’re not isolated individuals who can limit our effect upon others. We’re integrated beings whose lives bleed onto one another, and we impact one another positively or negatively.
How I choose to live my life matters. The decisions I make matter.
They matter not only to my well-being, but to the well-being of others, including my newborn son. It’s a sobering thought, but one I’m glad to have perspective on as I hold him in my arms. I need God’s help to live a life that leaves a positive effect upon him, as well as others.
I’m willing to bet you want to do the same.
This week, were giving away 3 copies of Make Your Mark by Brad Gray.
Wrestling with our calling in life is a fundamental struggle for just about everyone. Who are we supposed to be? How are we supposed to live? What are we supposed to do? These are all questions many of us grapple with.
Surprisingly, the Samson narrative is one of the most instructive stories for helping us answer these questions. Often touted as a story about muscles, testosterone, and seduction, there is so much more to this ancient account. Employing all the best tools for interpreting the Bible today, Brad Gray unpacks the Samson story anew, giving us fresh insights into the universal callings of those desiring to live out God’s fullest design for life.
With passion, humor, and skill, Brad shows us how we can get right what Samson got wrong in order to flourish in our humanity, to make the most of the lives we’ve been given, and to leave a positive mark on our world.
The three winners will be selected and announced on Friday.
Who has made the biggest impact on you through their actions, words, or lives?
Interesting – I’d always seen the Samson narrative in isolation. The ‘doing what was right in their own eyes’ difference is a change I’ve never noticed before.
My husband and his gentle, giving nature have made a huge impact on me and set the precedent and tone for our family.
Hi Dave,
The entire Samson story is like that. When it is put back into its context, there is a treasure trove of insights and connections that are incredibly fascinating. What’s more, the learnings lead to significant truths about life and how we can live as more healthy and effective followers of Jesus!
I firmly believe that we do not live in a vacuum, and that our choices and lives impact each other, and that the most damage I personally have experienced (and what I have observed in the lives of others) is the fruit of thoughtless and selfish living. But I don’t think I would have put that in the context of Samson’s life. Interesting…
My Grandmothers…. And my Husband…. Gentle, loving, honorable, patient, loyal and unconditional people I’ve known… Shown the Love of the Lord to me always… To be like the Lord in all I do and say…….
My father—-when I was 16 years old, as he was on his deathbed, the last coherent words he spoke to me were, “no matter what you do it life, live for the Lord.” When he took his final breath I understood, “absent from the body, present with the Lord.” That night I lost my earthly father but I gained my Heavenly Father.
Great insight. I never get this level of understanding when I read the Bible….so Thank-You!!!!
My father has made the biggest impact on me.
It’s so much to learn from one another, isn’t it, Laurie? God gives us different eyes to see different things, and it’s a joy when we can learn new insights from each other.
There have been many people who have impacted my life. The most important one was my mother, who recently passed away this summer. As I reflected on her life, I realized how selfless she was in sacrificing her time, energy and resources to make sure her children would find a path that would be pleasing to the Lord. Her love and care for me physically and spiritually showed me how to live and make wise decisions in how I lived my life.
I have friend who models graciousness and passion in all she does. She works tirelessly as a worship planner in our church to help lead others in meaningful, Spirit-filled worship.
There are 3 people in my life that have made an incredible impact on my life especially spiritually…my mom and dad, both of whom have an amazing faith in our amazing and awesome God and shared it from the day I was born, and still do. The 3rd is a friend that I worked with as his Special Education teacher asst. for 30 years… as we supported children and their families with love and God’s guidance. We were both on our journeys with Jesus and shared our love of God and God’s Word, our thoughts and questions, prayer and healing. John is my best friend and supported me always as I spread my wings to serve the Lord in many avenues over the years and to this day. Hopefully I am sharing God’s Light and Live daily to all whose lives I touch as these three have shared with me! Praise God!
I think this is a really interesting perspective. I admit that I don’t always think of how my decision affect others. When I see my little brother and sister, however, I know that there is a certain amount of influence in my hands. That helps me and informs my decision-making. Kids really sober you!
Just to say – the book arrived today here in the UK, and I’ve begun reading it tonight. Thank you very much, and especially for not limiting the draw to US residents.